Among the meaningful events celebrating Arbor Day at Cedar Key School were the planting of five additional trees to the already verdant campus and a guest speaker from the Florida Forest Service. Cedar Key School Instructor Dennis Voyles` high school agriculture class welcomed the guest speaker and took to the tree planting task knowledgeably, collegially, and happily. At the end of the day, students were wiser and a Florida native peach, two plum, and two nectarine trees were permanently ensconced on campus. Initiating Arbor Day activities and awareness around the island and actively participating throughout the day at the school was Cedar Key Commissioner Sue Colson. 
MIDDLE SCHOOL AGRICULTURE CLASS WITH MENTOR from left to right: Kent Sloan, Mentor Sarah Bartholemy, Trace Epperson, Cassidy Plemmons, and Kayla Beckham plant plumb trees in front of the school.
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GUEST SPEAKER GREG MARSHALL Trenton-based Senior Forester Greg Marshall from the Florida Forest Service spoke with the agriculture class about career both public and private opportunities the field of forestry. His interactive time with students included the business side of the timber industry for those who enjoy more fast-paced, customer-based activity. Attending to the even faster-paced personalities, Marshall overviewed firefighting career opportunities, pointing the necessary college courses and degrees. He also presented the varied opportunities within the Florida Forest Service. In addition to careers, Marshall focused upon Arbor Day and the good sense of focusing upon trees, their health, and how their health immediately affects human health. Students discussed the advantages trees afford them, such as clean air to breathe, energy savings, aesthetics, and increased property values. Which trees to plant where and how far from homes was discussed at length. Marshall addressed the correct way to plant trees: dig a hole two-to-three times the side of the pot in which the tree sits; put several gallons of water in the hole; score the roots to encourage their outward growth; place the tree in the hole so that it settles approximately one inch above the grade; refill the hole with soil lightly tamping it down and watering it; build a small berm around the tree to hold water from future irrigating. Before even taking shovel in hand, says Marshall, one must "look up, look down" to make sure no lines or cables will be a problem now or in the future. Nearly everyone on in the room, students and adults alike, admitted to cutting a water, electric, or cable line when digging in yards. Colson remarked that planting trees was much like teaching students: each starts small, takes nutrients, takes root, grows, and ultimately produces benefits for others. 
Forester Greg Marshall speaks to class.
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GARDENS, GARDENS, EVERYWHERE Regarding the property at the school, Voyles says, "We tell everyone here: If you don`t play on it or park on it, we`ll till it." Indeed, that seems to be true as one walks about the campus. Around the school, in nearly every patch of unpaved earth, is a garden of sorts. In a front patio, an efficient drip irrigation system waters a large variety of lettuces. Four "micro-gardens," each in a different geometric shape, challenge the elementary school students with real-life mathematics problems in weight, volume, and area. An approximately 500-square-foot memorial garden, brimming with squash and peas and surrounded by insect-deterring marigolds, was made possible through a grant. An approximately 100-square-foot bed of beans greatly enhances and compliments the school`s aged recycle trailer. Eggplant, cucumbers, and zucchini adorn the areas around the playground. The agriculture group has acquired a greenhouse, currently in need of electrical expertise, that will further enhance student knowledge when repaired. Students even "grow" tilapia. The waste product from the fish is used to fertilize the garden at the school`s north end. Hydroponic gardening produces lettuce. All nutrients are used and reused. Voyles` and the students` mantra of sustainable agriculture is actively practiced at CKS. Indeed, if earthen areas about the school are not actively used, they are gardened. 
MR. VOYLES demonstrates to his high school agriculture class how to properly plant a tree.
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STUDENTS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY The Cedar Key Food Pantry regularly receives the school`s produce. Last week alone, over 45 bags of lettuce were given to the pantry. One student related to Voyles that, while shopping at Dollar General on State Road 345, a woman stopped to ask her if she was with the group at school who gave the fresh vegetables to the Cedar Key Food Pantry. The student responded that she was. The woman, with tears in her eyes, expressed her serious need for the produce to feed her family properly and profusely thanked the student. PRE-KINDERGARDEN STUDENTS GROW SPROUTS On their way to the school bus after school, Ms. Elaine Rains pre-kindergarten class marched by Voyles, Colson, and Marshall proudly holding their plastic cups with beans sprouting from them. They presented their saplings to Voyles for inspection, Voyles knelt down, inspected the healthy saplings, and lauded their efforts.
MS RAINS PRE-KINDERGARDEN CLASS from left to right: Jolan Doty, Virginia Wright, Kaycee Johns, Madeline Bible, Kayley Sloan, and Elaine Rains present their sprouting beans.
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ARBOR DAY National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April. Different states` Arbor Days will vary depending upon optimum tree planting times in those states. Florida`s Arbor Day coincides with National Arbor Day. Much information may be found at http://www.arborday.org. HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE CLASS from left to right: Forester Greg Marshall, Taylor Davison, Mikayla Pope, Lauren Bartholemy (squatting in front), Taryn Epperson, Benjamin Miller, Laia Gore, Mr. Voyles, Chloe Brown, Cody Beckham, Dylan Clayton, Nathanael Brinkman, James Hartin |
